The Acts of Apostles describes how apostles received the Holy Spirit and power; how they spread the gospel in Jerusalem, all Judea, Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth. In particular, the first two chapters give a detailed account of the resurrected Lord's plea before His ascension and the incident that happened in Mark's upper room. One hundred twenty people were together there devoting themselves to prayer to receive the Holy Spirit and the power, as the resurrected Lord had urged them. Then an amazing work followed it—they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance and that day alone there were added about three thousand souls. It was the beginning of the Early Church.
Such works of the Spirit have been occurring at this sin-filled end time even more powerfully and showing the way to salvation to numerous souls. Now let's delve into the Spirit's works.
I. Works of the Spirit as gentle as a dove: healing the wounded and giving them peace
"After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him" (Matthew 3:16).
God said to John the Baptist, that He upon whom John saw the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him is the Christ. He soon witnessed the heavens opening and the Spirit descending as a dove and lighting on Jesus after He was baptized. Seeing it, John recognized Jesus as the Son of God.
The Spirit descending as a dove doesn't mean that a real dove came down but it symbolizes that the Spirit came down 'softly and gently' like Jesus' character. This explains that the Spirit works in different ways according to each one's personality and situations. When the Spirit descends like a dove, He not just heals diseases but resolves spiritual, mental, and business problems, and thereby He heals the wounded souls and gives them peace.
II. Works of the Spirit as cool as wind: accompanying the grace of thorough repentance and assurance of healing
"And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting" (Acts 2:2).
A work like a violent rushing wind refreshes the heart of people. When the Spirit works like this, the power is very great, it blows strongly and powerfully, and sometimes it happens concurrently over the whole world.
When we repent thoroughly by this work of the Spirit, we will be refreshed and feel good; we will feel cool all over the body as if we ate mint; or we will feel much better and come to be assured of healing of a disease.
In the Bible, God's nature and power are described in several ways through 'winds' (Exodus 14:21; 1 Kings 18:45; Hosea 13:15). Jesus also likened the work of the Spirit to the wind, saying, "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8).
The wind is not visible, so we don't know where it comes from and where it is going. Still we can know the existence of the wind by seeing leaves move by the wind or such phenomena. In the same manner, we can't see and touch the Holy Spirit but we can feel His existence through the renewal of heart and through His powerful works.
III. Works of the Spirit as hot as fire: burning the root of diseases, forces of darkness, and sinful nature
"And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them" (Acts 2:3).
The Bible often depicts the works of the Spirit as 'fire'. John the Baptist said, concerning Jesus, "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Luke 3:16). Also, Hebrews 12:29 says, "For our God is a consuming fire." We are baptized by the fire of the Holy Spirit when we receive the fire.
If we receive the baptism of the Spirit's fire, our body will feel hot, the root of diseases will be burned, and forces of darkness will lose strength and go away. It will burn our sinful nature and attachment to the world, give us strength to run earnestly with love for God, and through them we will be enabled to do things that we could never do by our own strength.
The power of the Spirit can solve any kind of problems, make everything possible, and heal every kind of disease. Of course, to receive healing, we should first destroy the wall of sins because all diseases come from sins (Exodus 15:26).
IV. Power of the Spirit manifesting extraordinary miracles: Muan Sweet Water, handkerchief of power, power of re-creation
"God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out" (Acts 19:11-12).
The Bible is full of astounding and marvelous things. Jesus walked on the sea, calmed the wind and the sea's waves, fed thousands of people with five loaves and two fish, and revived Lazarus who had been dead for four days.
Apostles Peter and Paul received the power, and they revived the dead and made a man who had been lame from birth walk and jump (Acts 3:1-10, 14:8-10). Apostle Paul even manifested extraordinary miracles so that when handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, diseases left them and the evil spirits departed from them (Acts 19:11-12).
God is the same yesterday and today. Today as well the God who is almighty allows us to experience extraordinary things transcending human imagination by the power of the Spirit when we believe Him.
Jesus said in John 14:12, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." Let's give all thanks and glory to God who confirms the Word by unceasingly showing signs in the great works of the Spirit.
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